Marijuana Rehab Center: Treatment for Abuse and
Addiction

Marijuana is
America’s most abused drug.
The major active chemical in marijuana is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol
(THC). The amount of THC determines the potency and, therefore,
the mind-altering effects of marijuana. Marijuana is also referred
to as pot, grass, reefer, weed, herb, gangster, chronic, boom,
Mary Jane, or MJ. Joints or nails refer to the hand-rolled
cigarettes made with marijuana. Pipes or water pipes called
bongs are also
used to smoke marijuana. Cigars with the tobacco replaced by
marijuana are called blunts, and often include another drug,
like crack cocaine.
Marijuana is also used to brew tea and can be added to foods.

Someone
under the influence of marijuana can often be recognized
by the following signs: rapid, loud talking and giggling
in
early stages of intoxication, sleepy in the later stages, lack
of concentration and coordination, forgetfulness in conversation,
bloodshot eyes, odor similar to burnt rope on clothing or breath,
distorted sense of time, craving for sweets, and hunger. Marijuana
can also cause anxiety and panic attacks.
Acute toxic psychosis is a risk with high doses of marijuana.
This includes delusions, hallucinations, and confusion over
the user’s own personal identity can occur.

Extended use of marijuana increases
risk to of suppression of the immune system, which may cause
some adverse health effects.
Marijuana may impair the immune system's ability to fight off
infectious diseases and cancer. Marijuana smoke can also promote
cancer of the respiratory tract and lungs. Smoking marijuana
over time can lead to abnormal functioning of lung tissue,
which is injured or destroyed by marijuana smoke.
It can cause chest pain in people who have a poor blood supply
to the heart, and increase in heart rate and blood pressure.

Marijuana may cause problems in daily life or worsen existing
problems. Intellect, career, and social facets of life are
affected by the compromised ability to learn. Marijuana smokers
who use marijuana heavily over long periods of time can become
dull, slow moving, and inattentive. They often call this effect
of prolonged use burnout.

Marijuana use has also been linked to
crimes committed by youths. On average, 53% of juvenile male
and 38% of juvenile
female arrestees tested positive for marijuana. Marijuana Increases
the Risk of Accidents. Studies show that around 6 – 11%
of fatal accident victims are under the influence of marijuana.
In many of these cases, alcohol is detected as well. Students
who smoke marijuana get lower grades and are less likely to
graduate from high school. Daily marijuana smokers are likely
to be functioning at a continually reduced intellectual capacity.
By measuring students’ problem-solving and emotional
skills in 8th grade and later in 12th grade, it was shown that
those who smoked marijuana suffered from reduced capacity for
self-reinforcement.

Employees who smoke marijuana are more likely to experience
problems at work. Studies show an increase in the following
indicators of poor performance among workers who use marijuana.

Marijuana can produce the disease of addiction in long-term
users. Addiction to marijuana is characterized by compulsive
craving, causing the user to try to find and use more of the
drug even when it may produce negative health and social consequences.

At the point where addiction to marijuana is a problem, the
associated memory and learning problems may be causing problems
at work or even leading to loss of a job. The marijuana user
often experiences more isolation from friends and family. When
stress builds, the user turns to marijuana for relief, providing
an excuse to smoke more of it. This results in increased marijuana
use and worsening problems, in a cycle that is difficult to
end.

Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United
States. Use of marijuana is prevalent among teenagers and young
adults.